Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of separating betanin from red quinoa, and particularly to a method of separating betanin from red quinoa by supercritical fluid fractionation, which increases the content of betanin in the extract of red quinoa effectively.
Description of the Prior Art
Food coloring used in food science and technology is classified into two categories, i.e. natural food dyes and synthetic dyes. In recent years, people concern the safety of synthetic dyes due to frequently reported food safety issues. The natural dyes come directly from animals, plants or microbes. Therefore, the natural dyes are highly safe and non-toxic and have become the main direction of development in food science and technology.
Taiwan quinoa (scientific name: Chenopodium formosanum, English name: Red Quinoa) is a native species in Taiwan and traditionally known as red quinoa. Red quinoa is a traditional crop farmed by Taiwanese aboriginals for more than a century. Since the plant body is rich in betalain, the grain thereof has a colorful appearance, including yellow, red, purple, orange and other colors. Red quinoa contains high levels of nutrients, such as protein, starch and dietary fiber. Among them, the red betanin has good antioxidant activity.
Generally, it needs large amount of solvent to extract betanin from red quinoa (betanin:solvent=1:50 to 1:100). As such, the concentration of betanin is not easy and needs complicated procedures.
Therefore, the inventor and related manufacturers engaged in this industry are anxious to study the path of improvement to solve the aforementioned problems and deficiencies.